I ALWAYS FIND THAT CERTAIN QUOTES HAVE A WAY OF SUMMING UP HOW I AM FEELING, WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED OR WHAT MY DAY HAS BEEN LIKE. SO, FOLLOWING A SUGGESTION, HERE I AM, BLOGGING ABOUT HOW MY DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS HAVE GONE ACCORDING TO A YEAR OF QUOTES.

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“When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable.”

Madeleine L’Engle

I think a sense of vulnerability it something I’ve realised a lot and often recently. When I was little, I was always protected and looked after and sheltered from the big bad world out there. You never had to fight your own battles or solve your own problems and life was easy. I feel more vulnerable now than I ever did, which is why I think I personally constantly have my guards up and my walls built – I guess I just coped with the transition of independence into ‘adulthood’ a little less well than some. You try to stop potential hurt and pain- and it doesn’t always work! Vulnerability is something that I don’t think will go away, and its something that is going to take getting used to.

“Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.”

John Lennon, Imagine

Can you imagine just how much easier the world would be without all of these differences and religions and countries. Granted it might be a slightly more boring place, but the idea of these words carry through – we’d all be on the same platform. For some reason this song makes me sad (little secret, I’ve cried at this before, shh). I think its because the idea is so simple, but so profound.

Today, I was just thinking about fear, and how much power it has over people. I thought about how people quantify their fears and how they make it relative to things around them or other emotions they have experienced. Then I was reminded of this beautiful poem that I was shown by an old school teacher. It has an interesting, fresh perspective on things.

Our Greatest Fear

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.There is nothing enlightened about shrinkingso that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously giveother people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates others.”

“To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self…. And to venture in the highest is precisely to be conscious of one’s self.”

Soren Kierkegaard, Begrebet Angest (The Concept of Anxiety)

Anxiety can be really, really awful and especially in the heat of the moment, it can make you do, say or think irrational things. People say that you should push yourself out of your comfort zone to try and face your worries and fears. Perhaps giving into it will cause too many regrets.

“Sometimes we get sad about things and we don’t like to tell other people that we are sad about them. We like to keep it a secret. Or sometimes, we are sad but we really don’t know why we are sad, so we say we aren’t sad but we really are.”

Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

This is a book I read years ago, back at school and I remember really enjoying it. I came across this quote and it reminded me of the simplicity and truth in the book.

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.”

Herman Hesse

Hmm, people always go on about how you should never give up and keep going and carrying on but I think that sometimes, the only option you are left with is to give up. I’m feeling decidedly deep today, so I’ll keep it short (lest I ramble!) On many occasions have I thought that ‘this would just be so much easier if I knew how to care less’ and when it comes to the point where you need to let go, it’s such a massive thing to do. Sometimes it is something that you need to do.